The Richmond casino referendum outcome inward Old Dominion was expected to live close. And closelipped it was, as it took until Wed morn around 10 am to adjudge an outcome.
Urban One, a in public traded media conglomerate, and Peninsula Pacific Entertainment (P2E), a cassino operator, were seeking to collectively build a $565 gazillion cassino resort hotel close the Duke of Edinburgh Gouverneur Morris baccy industrial plant on I-95. But they first needful local favorable reception from capital of Virginia voters in the VA great city. That favourable reception didn’t come.
Roughly 15 hours after the polls closed, Richmond election officials deemed the referendum a failure. Approximately 51.4 percent of local voters rejected the Urban One/P2E gambling casino pitch.
From the beginning, we said the people would decide. They get spoken, and we must honour their decision,” capital of Virginia Mayor Levar Stoney (D) said in a prepared statement. The city manager was unity of the to a greater extent vocal proponents of bringing commercial cassino gambling to the city.
“While i believe this was a $565 zillion opportunity lost to make well-paying jobs, expand opportunity, stay fresh taxes low, and step-up revenue to foregather the needs of our growing city, i am proud of the transparent and public physical process we went through and through to hear to our residents and set this opportunity before our voters,” the city manager concluded.
First Old Dominion Casino Rejection
Virginia passed commercial message gaming legislating endure year. But only if sure cities facing economical hardship, as outlined by a set of criteria, qualified to innkeeper such a resort. Five cities that met the conditions opted to go send on with casinos — Richmond, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Danville, and Bristol.
The smattering of qualifying locations need local favorable reception before moving forrad with a gaming resort. Those other quaternary cities each passed successful gambling casino referendums during the 2020 election.
ONE Casino + Resort unsuccessfully tried to win o'er Richmonders into backup its to a greater extent than a half-billion-dollar undertaking. Virginia aboriginal Missy Elliott this calendar week declared her support for the casino inwards a Twitter picture that she has since taken push down inwards the referendum’s defeat.
ONE Casino was dubbed as the first-class honours degree Black-owned gambling casino inwards the United States. Its targeted location in Richmond, a city with deep ties to the Confederate States that lingers today with its Monument Avenue that pays tribute to many of the south’s Civil War leaders, seemed to the highest degree appropriate.
But Richmonders said “No” to the casino. Richmond relieve voted hard inward favor of Democrats yesterday, former Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe receiving to a greater extent than 77 percent of the metropolis ballot despite losing the gubernatorial election statewide.
ONE Casino Relocation Potential
Urban One CEO Alfred the Great Liggins said prior to Election Day that if Richmonders don’t want his casino, he’ll read it elsewhere.
If it doesn’t go across inward the urban center of Richmond, I believe that the General Assembly testament at last looking to assign it inward a locality inwards and around capital of Virginia in Central Old Dominion State inwards i of the outlying counties that does want it. i make non trust that the General Assembly and the governor testament want to lead Central Virginia without a gaming opportunity,” Liggins stated finally week.
This morning, Liggins said he was “extremely disappointed,” but recognised “the testament of Richmond residents.” Urban One shares plummeted on the news, with shares down feather nearly 40 percent as of this writing.